With 100% English Ancestry, I thought it might be really difficult to trace my ancestors back in England from Canada. Only my mother, her father and his mother were born in Canada. This Blog will talk about researching my English ancestors from Canada but also the ancestors of our son in law whose families stretch back far into Colonial French Canada. My one name study of Blake and of Pincombe also dominate my blog these days.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Richard Blake is the testator and he is an Innholder at Chipping Sodbury. He mentions his son Thomas and his wife Mary in his will below.

The portbury-hundred website (http://www.portbury-hundred.co.uk/admiralreport.htm) lists Richard as #98, born in 1668 and died in Chipping Sodbury 9 Apr 1724 at the age of 56 years. Richard married to Mary is listed as having three children: Joseph (died 18 May 1715 in Chipping Sodbury, Samuel (born 1692 and died in 1715 at Chipping Sodbury) and Richard born in 1700 and there is further information on Richard. This Richard is said to be a son of Ambrose Blake who was known to be born at Pynhills (Wiltshire) around 1620. Richard is said to have two brothers Henry and Ambrose both of whom have descendancies in the chart above. The great grandson of Richard was said to be the Richard who married Anne Augustine Harwood, daughter of Rev Charles Harwood, Dean of Chichester. There is some information on this family already blogged:

Earlier I did conclude that this line as written in the portbury-hundred website seems to be a reasonable lineage but one is left to wonder why did Richard not mention his son Richard in his will below. A couple of possibilities include he is a well established merchant in Bristol already, he has received his portion to set him up as a merchant or he has inherited from another relative and is passed by in this will. Presumably Thomas will remain with the Inn in Chipping Sodbury which his mother is inheriting. No will is listed for this Thomas.

There are other Blake wills at Chipping Sodbury. However, I can not clearly fit them into this particular lineage.

1 In the name of God Amen I Richard Blake2 of Chipping Sodbury in the County of Glouc Inholder3 being Sick in body but of sound and disposing mind4 and memory do make my last will and Testament5 in manner and Form following6 Imp[rim]is I will that my debts and funeral Expences shall7 be paid by my Executrix hereinafter named8 Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved son Thomas9 Blake the sum of five pounds10 Item all the rest and residue of my Goods and Chattles11 of what kind soever I give and bequeath unto my dearly12 beloved wife Mary whom I do hereby constitute and13 appoint sole and only Executrix of this my last Will and14 Testament And lastly I do hereby revoke recall and15 make utterly null and void all and every Former and16 other will Legacy bequest or Executor by me at any17 time heretofore made given appointed or named18 ratifying and confirming this and no other to be19 my last Will and Testam[en]t In Testament whereof I have20 hereunto set my hand and Seal this Sixteenth day of21 April Anno d[omi]ni 172422 The Mark of23 Rich24 Richard Blake25 Signed Sealed published pronounced 26 and declared by the above named27 Richard Blake as his last Will28 and Testament in the presence of us29 who set our hands in the pre[se]nce30 of the Testator31 Georg Hardwicke32 Jno Shellard33 Joseph Hughes